Catch My Breath
by tanglingshadows
Summary: Once upon a time, a quirky woman barreled into a soft-spoken man's life and turned it upside down. Not that he complained about it...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

This is pure silliness, and I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it.

* * *

"I had sex with Edward Masen."

I stood, breathless, outside my friend Alice's apartment.

She cocked her head to the side and squinted at me. "What?"

"You heard me! I had sex with Edward Masen."

"Like in a dream?" She asked, genuinely confused.

I bit my lip to hold in a sarcastic retort. "Would I be standing here at three in the morning, freaking out, if it had just been a dream? Let me in, now!"

I pushed past her into the entrance way as she said, "Bella, it's three a.m., I honestly have no idea how I'm even functioning enough to talk to you, let alone guess why you're banging on my door." She closed the door behind us. "Now, you slept with Edward Masen?" I nodded. "How the hell did that happen? He's old and wears polyester."

"Shut up, Alice! He's not old."

"He works with your dad, B. He's old."

"He's thirty-one."

"He still wears polyester and thinks busting underage drinkers makes for a fun weekend."

With a huff, I tried to find words to say. To deny what Alice had said, but I couldn't.

"Oh, God, you're right. How did this happen?"

I looked up at Alice, who was nodding off in the reading chair next to her television. "Shouldn't you be explaining that to me?" She glanced at me, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

I groaned again. "Jesus, Alice. I know how it happened, but why did I let it happen?"

She shrugged. "It's been awhile for you. Your lady business had some business that needed taking care of, I guess."

I didn't respond, and after a few minutes I thought Alice had fallen asleep, but she popped up and asked, "Where did this happen? Did you fuck and duck out of his house?"

My shoulders sagged, and I shook my head.

"You. Did. Not." I could tell she was holding in her laughter. "You ran out of your own apartment?"

"I didn't know what else to do!"

Alice doubled over, peals of laughter filling the living room, as I sat, ashamed.

"Bella, Bella, Bella. What are you going to do? That poor man was probably all excited that he got boned by a much younger woman-one who manages to look past the bad fashion decisions and crappy deputy job, and when he wakes up, he's going to think he's so bad in bed that he chased you out of your own place."

"If I ignore it, it will go away." I picked at a loose thread on my pajama pants.

"Ummm, I hate to bring this to your attention, but Edward Masen is not an 'it', and he's currently down the hall, sleeping in your bed." Shaking her head, she pushed off the couch. "That is not something that just 'goes away', Bella."

I cringed, contemplating going back to my apartment.

"I'm going to bed. Lock the door on your way out." Alice stood up and walked down the hallway to her bedroom. "Oh, and Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Was it good?" She smirked.

I thought back over the night and felt myself flush. He had been amazing—before, during, and after.

"I'll take that as a definite yes."

Without waiting for a response, she shut her bedroom door.

To be honest, Edward had been a lot of fun. We had ran into each other at the coffee shop in Port Angeles and had a pretty great conversation, which led to getting a drink, which led to him driving me home, which led to me dropping to me knees inside my apartment and giving him the single best blowjob of his life. After which, he thoroughly returned the favor.

I wrinkled my nose. I came across kinda of skanky when I thought of it like that. Pulling myself together and thinking as little as possible, I left Alice's apartment and walked down the corridor to my own. Opening the door as quietly as I could, I entered and turned to close it just as softly. I'd almost managed to get the thing closed when a voice behind me caused me to jump and slam the door—hard.

"Where'd you go?"

I turned to see Edward standing awkwardly in my living room, in nothing but his boxers, looking a little crushed.

My heart clenched at the sight, and I answered automatically. "I sleepwalk."

This was turning out to be the most confusing night of my life.

* * *

By the way, Edward is known as Polyblend around twitter and beta/pre-reading emails. You'll love him. Trust.

The chapters will be around this length, some get longer though. There are 11 total chapters, and the update schedule will be Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

Let's meet Edward!

* * *

**EPOV**

"Sleepwalking?" I felt my brow furrow. "Really, now?"

Her eyes went wide as she bit her bottom lip. "Yeah," she squeaked.

"That must be terrible. You always leave your apartment like this?" Her face was starting to turn red, and I knew she was lying. I really wanted to know why she'd go through the trouble, but I had a feeling I wouldn't like the answer. It was painfully obvious that she regretted what had happened between us just from the guilty look on her face.

"Not always." She looked away, clearing her throat. "I actually woke up before I left the apartment, but then I remembered that I needed to bring my friend Alice something, so I walked down the hall to her apartment. I came right back," she added, almost as an afterthought.

"This late?" I tried to stand a little taller not wanting my disappointment to show.

"Oh, yeah! Alice is a total night owl. She doesn't really sleep."

We stood in awkward silence for several seconds before I decided it was time to just get the hell out of there. While the night had been outstanding, and the manifestation of all my fantasies about Bella, I knew this was a one-time thing. I wasn't the type of man a young, attractive woman like her would be interested in. I was probably the opposite of everything that she was looking for in a man.

I was older. I didn't have an exciting job. I wasn't really social.

"I should probably go. I don't want to force you out of your own house." I was met with silence. "I'll just get my clothes." I turned for the bedroom quickly, trying to mask my embarrassment. She was probably slapping herself for tonight.

"You can stay." Bella's voice was quiet and hesitant behind me. "You're not running me out. Honestly, I was just a little freaked out and needed to talk to someone. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I don't do this." She waved her hand between us. "I know you might find that hard to believe seeing how I pretty much jumped you when you walked in, but I don't…" Bella shook her head with a sigh.

"I don't either," I said, not turning around. "Can I tell you something?"

"That depends on what it is. Are you going to tell me that you collect troll dolls or that you like to wear women's underwear?" Her laugh was forced, and I heard her blow out a hard breath. "Ignore me. I shouldn't be allowed to speak when I'm like this."

I laughed softly. "Bella, I'm glad tonight happened."

She didn't respond, so I picked up my jeans off the floor.

"You wear lots of polyester, and my friend thinks you're old." My head snapped around, and I saw her slap her hand across her mouth. "I'm so sorry."

As if my ego hadn't taken enough of a beating, I was now the old guy who wore itchy clothes. I tugged on my non-cop-related clothes and was trying to put on my socks when she spoke again.

"I don't think you're old."

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"I mean, you're older than me by about eight years, but that's not old."

When my socks were on, I reached for my boots. One was by the closet door and the other peeked out from under the bed.

"You do wear polyester. I can't deny that, but it's for your job, so I don't think that should count against you. I mean, you perform an important service for our community."

I cleared my throat to say something, but honestly didn't even know where to begin, so I closed my mouth just as quickly and stuffed my foot into my boot.

When I was fully dressed, I lifted my eyes to Bella's once again. She looked mortified.

I took a deep breath. "I'm just going to head out. I won't make this awkward or anything for you, Bella. We'll just toss this up to drinking a little too much, okay?"

As I walked past her and out of the bedroom, she stalked out behind me. "I wasn't drunk, Edward, and neither were you. You're a cop. You drove us here. You wouldn't break the law like that."

"Jesus, Bella. I'm giving you an out. Just take it." My voice was tense.

"I don't want to!" She pouted a little. "I had a good time with you. Like the whole time. Even before the sex."

Her voice sounded so sincere and caused me to pause for a second.

"Why don't we just hang out for a bit?" she offered casually.

I shook my head. "I have work today, and it's probably best if I go home anyway." I wasn't about to accept her pity offer to hang out.

She followed me as I left her apartment and then as I got in the elevator. I turned to her and asked, "What are you doing?"

She shrugged. "Walking you out."

"You realized you're in your pajamas and it's freezing outside?"

"I'll be fine. It's Forks. The weather's always terrible."

As we walked out of her complex, she pulled her hands into her sleeves and shivered. "Well, I really had a good time tonight, and I hope that maybe you'll want to get coffee again."

"Sure, Bella. Whenever you want," I accepted easily because I knew there was no way she'd follow through with it.

I turned for my truck and heard a familiar voice call out from the left.

"Masen? What are you doing here?"

How I missed the cruiser pulling up, I'll never know. My jaw dropped and I stood face-to-face with a very confused Chief Swan.

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DUN DUN DUN!

I'm so excited to see how many people are reviewing and alerting! I really hope you continue to like it!

See you Friday!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

**BPOV**

I had offended the man on so many levels in the last fifteen minutes, it was ridiculous. For someone who prided herself on being smart and well-spoken, I'd managed to look like a socially stunted teenager.

Standing on the sidewalk, I watched as he walked toward his truck. It wasn't new, but it was well maintained, and the inside was really warm with the heater on. Also, it had a bench seat, so it was perfect for snuggling up against him as he drove.

_That's obviously not happening again._

I sighed and started to return to my building when I heard my dad's voice call out to Edward. My heart stopped for a moment then started racing as I contemplated what to do.

He hadn't seen me yet, so I could probably run inside or hide until he got back in his cruiser. Or I could man—er, woman up, and go out there and save Edward from some really uncomfortable questions.

I weighed my options and decided to prove to Edward that I really did want to see him again, and what better way to do that than to stand beside him as my dad interrogated him?

Of course, I didn't really think about the fact that my dad might not assume Edward had been in the building to see me. There were many other women he could have been visiting. I also didn't think about the fact that it was almost four in the morning, and it wouldn't exactly look innocent for Edward to be leaving my apartment while I stood outside in pajamas.

Edward saw me before my dad did, and he subtly shook his head, telling me to go away. I ignored him. "Hey, Dad! I see you've met Edward." I internally cringed at the stupidity of that statement, and my dad cocked his head to the side, studying me.

The look Edward shot me was a combination of embarrassment and fear.

"Bells, I've known Edward for over a year." He looked at what I was wearing and back to Edward then to me again. "What are you doing out here, Bella?" He didn't wait for a response before turning back to Edward. "What are _you _doing out at this hour and at this building?"

I smiled to myself while shaking my head at his concern. "My truck wouldn't start and Edward was nice enough to give me a ride home." _Oh, what a ride, indeed._

Charlie was staring intently at Edward, who was shifting under his gaze. "That was nice, Edward."

"Yes, sir. I just wanted to help. I'll be going now. I've got to work in a few hours." He pushed his hands into his pockets. "Goodnight, Bella. I hope your truck gets fixed real quick."

"Thank you. We'll have to get together again for some coffee." I held his gaze as I said it, and I swear he blushed.

"We'll see." He turned and walked quickly to his truck.

My dad looked at me with an eyebrow raised in question.

"What?" I huffed, pushing a strand of hair out of my face.

"Edward is a really nice guy," Charlie stated evenly.

"Top notch," I agreed. "Why are you here, Dad?"

"Whenever I work late, I always drive through here a couple of times to make sure there's no one sneaking around. I saw your truck was gone and was going up to make sure you were all right because you weren't answering your phone. I was worried."

"Oh." I hugged him quickly, not expecting such an emotional answer from him. "Thanks, Dad."

He nodded and cleared his throat. "So, Edward?"

I was caught off-guard by his question and felt my cheeks heat up. "He brought me home. We ran into each other at the coffee shop, and my truck wouldn't start, so he offered me a ride."

"Uh huh. And what time does the coffee shop close?"

"Eleven." I answered automatically then stuttered, "Tonight was special, though, so they stayed open really late."

The look on Charlie's face told me he didn't believe me, but he didn't push it. Finally, after several more seconds of uncomfortable silence, he said goodbye and got into his cruiser.

When I got back into my apartment, I leaned against the door heavily.

I had a feeling that Edward's day at work was going to be really terrible. There was no way Charlie would just let this go without embarrassing both of us just a little.

* * *

Thank you all so much for your support! Your reviews have put a smile on my face and helped me get through this craptastic week of my summer intensive grad class. You're all beautiful, beautiful people!

See you Sunday! We'll be back with Polyblend ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

I spent the work day in my cruiser.

By the time I made it home after running into Charlie, I couldn't sleep at all. I could tell that he knew something was up between me and Bella, but he was the type of man to bide his time and figure everything out before confronting us about it.

If there was one thing I'd heard over and over during the last year, it was Charlie's complete disgust for a guy named Jacob and his treatment of Bella. Hell, I hated the guy, too, and I'd never met him.

I was nervous. Truthfully, Charlie scared me. He was the man who'd given me my job, and I really didn't want him to think I was betraying him by messing around with his daughter.

I _did not_ want to be on the receiving end of Charlie Swan's disgust.

When my shift ended, I pulled the cruiser into its garage and tried to move to the time clock as quickly and quietly as I could.

Avoiding the Chief. That was my ultimate goal.

My card was punched and placed in its holder when I heard his voice. Again calling out from my left.

"Hey, Edward."

I turned to face the Chief, bracing myself. He was wearing civilian clothes, but still had on his holster.

_He knows._

"Hi, Charlie," I said as calmly as I could.

He smirked. "Want to ride with me to pick up Bella's truck? I need someone to drive it to her apartment, and since you already know the way…" He raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, I'd be happy to help." I said nervously.

Charlie turned, and I swear he muttered, "Oh, I'm sure you would be."

The car ride passed in silence. I tried my best to not allow any of my nervous gestures to give me away, so I wound up sitting rod straight and staring out the front windshield. It was one thing to have a one-nighter and walk away. I'd done that before. It was another to sleep with someone you like, have them regret it, and then be stuck with their father, who may or may not know what had happened between you.

The closer we got to Bella's truck, the more confused I became.

Why was I treating this situation any differently from the couple of times before when I'd slept with a girl? She didn't want to see me again, no matter how much she tried to convince me otherwise. I just needed to shake it off.

Charlie shut off the engine, and we sat in silence for a moment.

"Bella is a strange girl." I tensed even more. "I don't mean that in a bad way at all; she just does things differently, and no one has ever truly appreciated that about her. She's a lot like her mom in that respect.

"She gets flustered easily and has always been a terrible liar, Edward." I turned and met his eyes. _Oh yeah, he knows_. "I don't want any details of what you were doing last night, but I know you're a good guy."

I was too afraid to breathe, let alone answer him.

"You're a good man, right?" His stare locked me in place.

Something snapped, and I let it all out. "She's embarrassed of me, I know it. She doesn't want to be seen with me. I'm not what she wants. God, the look on her face last night when she realized—"

"Whoa! That'll be enough of that." He tapped the steering wheel awkwardly. "Just ask her out, Edward."

"She pities me," I whispered.

He just shrugged. "You'll never know until you ask. Here are her keys." He tossed them at me, and I barely caught them before they hit my face. "At least take her truck to her."

I started to get out of the truck but stopped. "You're not going to fire me, right?"

Charlie laughed and shook his head. "There are worse things you could do than try and date Bella." He turned the keys and the engine roared to life. "See you later, Edward."

I stood there, staring as he drove away.

Today had not turned out the way I thought it would.

As I climbed into Bella's truck, my heart started pounding in my chest.

This was probably going to be a giant clusterfuck of awkwardness, but that didn't stop me from thinking of ways to ask her on a date.

I realized suddenly that I was standing in front of her door in the dreaded polyester uniform that was certainly listed as a 'con' on the 'Date Edward' list.

* * *

I'm sorry I didn't get to answer reviews for Ch.3, but I read every one! Y'all make me laugh with your comments. I'm so happy you love them as much as I do!

For those who don't know, I just got out of my summer intensive grad classes and finished moving. Last night wireless got set up in the new house now so things are back on track with review replies for this chapter!

Thank you for all your support! See you Wednesday from BPOV :)


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

My day started with a call from my father, who let me know that my truck would be back at my apartment by four in the afternoon. He never let on that he knew about what happened between me and Edward. He didn't even make his usual passive aggressive, snarky comments.

_Yes, that's right. My father was a snarky bitch when he wanted to be. _

I spent most of my day lying on the couch, eating Bannaroo Buzz ice cream, and moping.

I really hated the way things ended with Edward.

He was so nice and sweet. So giving and eager to please.

I sighed.

I was acting like a wanton hussy after one night with the man. I groaned a loud at my thoughts.

_I really need to stop reading all those smutty romance novels. _

In truth, he was the best I'd ever had. Not that I'd had a lot. The other two boys before him were nice. Definitely not Edward, though.

My spoon scrapped the bottom of the carton, and stuck my bottom lip out.

_Just my luck._

I sat up and ran a hand through my hair. I'd showered earlier and let it dry on its own, so it was a mess of waves. If any of my friends saw me, they'd know I was in an emo mood just from the hair.

I stood and pulled my hair back in loose ponytail, silently debating what to do in my situation. It took me a few seconds to decide that when I got my truck back, I'd ask Charlie for Edward's address. I'd make up some excuse about wanting to take him cupcakes or something for his kindness.

With a plan in place, I went to the kitchen and threw away the empty pint of ice cream. The search for my next snack of choice was interrupted by knocking on the door.

I glanced at the clock on the microwave and saw that it was just after four.

Excited about my next step in getting Edward to go out with me, I skipped to the door. Right before I turned the knob, I looked down and wrinkled my nose at the worn, plaid pajama pants. I knew I wouldn't be able to leave right away. There was no way I'd visit Edward dressed in exactly the same thing I'd been wearing when he left early this morning.

I lifted my eyes from my pants as I swung the door open.

I met Edward's deep green eyes and squealed loudly, before slamming the door in his face.

With my back pressed against the wood, I tried to calm my breathing. My mind raced as I tried to come up with excuses for my erratic behavior and the reason I was still wearing my pajamas, but I had none, mostly because I couldn't stop the screeching thoughts that were flashing through my mind.

A few seconds passed, and Edward knocked softly, making my heart thud harder in my chest.

One not-so-calming breath later, I opened the door and smiled like I was Miss America.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Edward?" I asked breathlessly, propping myself against the doorframe.

His brow furrowed as he held out my keys. "I was just dropping off your truck."

I took a moment to look him over, and I was stunned.

Polyblend had _never_ looked so good.

_How had I never noticed this before?_

By the time my eyes scanned over his cute little nametag: _E. Masen, _I just couldn't stop myself. I took a step forward, grabbed his shirt in my hands, and pulled him through the door.

Once he cleared the doorframe, I released one hand and pushed the door closed behind him.

"Bella, what are you—"

My lips were on his, and my hand moved from his shirt to his hair as I tried to pull him as close to me as possible. The hand that had closed the door went back to his shirt, and I started to pull it from where it was tucked into his pants.

My lips moved to his jaw, nipping along the skin there. He moaned, turning his head to the side.

"This needs to come off," I murmured against his cheek and tugged his shirt again.

His hands, once frozen on my hips, moved to my behind. "Hop up." My legs wrapped around his waist, and he groaned as I moved against him.

"You know where the bedroom is."

We stumbled down the hall, my lips never leaving some part of his skin.

Clothes were discarded, and for a moment, I was tempted to ask him to leave on the shirt —just unbutton it—but decided that might be too much for our second time together.

I pushed him back against the bed and straddled his hips, sliding over him but never letting him inside.

"Bella, please. I'm dying here." He arched his back, trying to move where he wanted to be.

I laughed softly, positioning him before taking him all in.

The groan that escaped his lips was the single sexiest thing I'd ever heard.

His hands tightened on my hips as he helped me keep pace, and when my legs felt like giving out, I laughed out loud. "I'm not in any shape for this kind of exercise."

I swear my heart almost stopped at the smile that stole across his face. He sat up, pulling our chests together. We weren't thrusting anymore; I moved my hips in tight circles while grinding against him at just the right angle.

His lips moved over my collarbone to the skin below my ear. I could feel his breaths against that sensitive part of me and shivered.

"You okay?" His voice was rough and low. "This good?"

I nodded, my hands tangling into his hair.

We moved slowly, our temples touching, his hands digging into my shoulders, keeping me against him.

My release caught up with me unexpectedly, and I pulled back to look at his face. His eyes were fixed on me, his mouth open slightly.

There was no screaming or obscenities.

Just a sharp gasp on my part and a whispered "Bella" from him.

We stayed in the same position until our breathing calmed. Then Edward lay back against the pillows, bringing me to his chest.

"I wasn't expecting this," he said quietly.

I pulled back to meet his eyes. The desire was evident in them, but there was something in his tone and expression that seemed unsure.

"I want this," I said.

He nodded. "Me, too."

"Good." I kissed his jaw again.

I could feel him tense as he sighed. "Is this all you want from me?"

* * *

I'm so overwhelmed by the response to this story! Thanks so much for the reviews and to those of you who have rec'ed this on Twitter, other sites, or your own fic. It really means so much to me!

ladysharkey1 did a sweet little banner for the story. It's on my profile!

I hope everyone is still liking this! See you Friday, and we'll be back with Polyblend and how he's doing after this chapter...


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

My words lingered in the air for several seconds before Bella sat up.

Her hands were on my chest, and that soft, wet, warm place I'd just been buried in slid over my softening cock.

I stared up at her, speechless.

She was glorious.

Her hair was wild, cheeks pink, lips swollen and red.

_I did that._

Even if this was all she wanted, I'd give it to her in a heartbeat. I'd take whatever she'd give me because I just wanted to be near her.

"What kind of girl do you think I am?" She looked insulted and then resigned. "I guess I do kinda look like a skank with they way I've acted, but I swear you are the only guy I've acted like this with." She paused, unsure. "Do you do this a lot?"

I blinked up at her. "Ummm, no. Not at all."

"Are you sure?" She stared down at me, disbelief clear on her face. "Because you're really good at this."

"I'm positive." I laughed, pulling her down to my chest. "I could say the same for you."

Bella huffed. "You're number three. And one of those was only once, so you're really like two and a half, I guess."

I was torn between irrational jealousy and laughter. She was so forward and never said anything she didn't mean. I liked her honesty, and judging by the look in her eyes, she wanted the same from me.

"You're number four. One of those was only once, so I guess you're three and a half."

"Seriously?" Her jaw dropped. "That's…surprising."

Bella propped her chin on her hands in the middle of my chest.

"Why is it surprising?" I asked, confused.

"You're older than I am. I figured your number would be a lot higher."

It was hard to shrug while lying down, but I tried anyway. I started twisting a strand of her hair around my finger. "I've had two serious relationships and a one-night thing. The random girl was an experiment, if you will. I was alone, and I had friends who acted like that all the time, so I wanted to see if I could do it. It wasn't for me, though. I've always been a romantic, you know?" She looked at me intently but stayed silent. "Anyway, that was the only time something even remotely close to last night happened. Still, I've wanted you for the last year, so it wasn't so random on my part."

We were quiet for a few moments before Bella started giggling. "This is the weirdest conversation to have after having sex and while still naked."

"I've come to expect the weirdness with you."

At that Bella rolled off of me and sighed happily. "You staying for dinner?"

As if the last ten minutes hadn't been awkward enough, I recalled Charlie's suggestion and asked, "Want to go out with me?"

"Absolutely!" Bella smiled at me.

"Are you going to answer my question about this?" I motioned between us.

She grabbed my hand and kissed my palm. "Edward, this is a lot more than just sex."

Thirty minutes later, we were in her truck, driving to the station to pick up mine. Before I got out, I turned to her. "Follow me to my house, and we can take my truck to dinner."

"What's wrong with my truck?" She pouted.

"Nothing. It's just that I asked you out, so I should drive, right?" I wasn't convinced she'd follow my logic but was pleasantly surprised when she just nodded.

If all went well, I hoped Bella would be staying the night with me anyway, so leaving her truck at my house was a good way to make that happen.

* * *

Thank you all so much for reviewing and your amazing support! I'm sorry I didn't get to all the reviews for last chapter. I have a seven month old, and she's teething so last night was spent trying (and failing) to console/distract her.

I know the chapter wasn't long, but I really hope you're still enjoying it!

See you Sunday!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

I didn't exactly plan for things to happen the way they did.

I had been thinking some pretty scandalous thoughts before Edward knocked on my door, but to act on them that quickly?

Not planned. At. All.

Still, it worked out pretty well.

Then we had dinner after he oh-so-slyly asked me to leave my truck at his house.

_I planned to leave a lot more than my truck at his house._

I did, too.

Two weeks after our one-nighter, which turned into dating, I had pretty much packed my things and moved in.

'My things' were mostly my clothes, but there was my laptop and some books, too.

Needless to say, I was infiltrating Edward's life very easily.

He didn't mind at all. In fact, I think he really like the whole 'June Cleaver' thing we had going on, where I had dinner ready when he got home every day. There were no foot rubs, though. I might have been in love with him, but I wasn't touching his feet like that.

Things you find out about someone once you become intimate can either be funny or glass-shatterers.

For example, Edward _always_ ran into the door jamb first thing in the mornings because he refused to completely open his eyes when he woke up. That shit was funny to see.

Glass-shattering truth-Edward had hobbit feet. They were hairy and wide.

I figured it was just the one bad thing he'd lucked out on. The man was hot. He had an amazing body, he had the hair and smile, and he had a very nice cock.

So to balance him out, God gave him nasty-looking feet.

My daily contemplations came to a screeching halt when I heard the front door open.

Edward made his way into the kitchen and walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Smells good."

"It's spaghetti. Of course it smells good." I turned around in his arms, smiling up at him.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he conceded my point before kissing my cheek.

"I have something I want to talk to you about."

_Gong. Gong._

The death knell of relationship.

The 'we need to talk' talk.

"Ummm, all right." I set down my wooden stirring spoon and tried to appear calm.

"So, my parents called and asked if we'd like to meet them in Seattle this weekend for dinner."

My jaw dropped. "Really?" That was what all this 'talk' talk was about?

He fidgeted with his hair before nodding uncomfortably.

I snorted. "I practically live here. Why would I say no to meeting Mom and Dad Masen?"

Edward's breath exited his body in a rush as his shoulders relaxed. "I just don't know what to expect sometimes with you." He gave me a crooked smile. "You're kind of crazy."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes at him before turning back around to stir the sauce.

He sat at the island, his hands still fidgeting.

_He isn't finished._

I let him continue to battle with himself as I finished dinner. When I sat the plate in front of him, he spoke. "Move in with me?"

My eyes snapped up to his, and I blinked several times. He looked like he was going to pass out.

In truth, I didn't know why I was stalling, I had most of my stuff here already, and I spent every night here, but this would make it official.

"Like as a roommate?" I asked stupidly.

His brow furrowed. "Um, if that's what you want. I mean, we could put your stuff in the guest room, but I was asking you to move in as my girlfriend."

"Huh." I picked up my fork and started twirling noodles around in my bowl. "What would I pay in rent?"

Edward huffed, grabbing his fork. "Jesus, Bella. I want you to live with me. You're not paying anything now, and I wouldn't expect you to if you came here permanently. Besides, I bought this house outright."

"What?" I yelled, dropping my fork. It was too strong a reaction, I knew, but this was a three-bedroom, two-and-half-bath house. Even in Forks, that didn't come cheap.

"I didn't want to bring it up because you obsess over the smallest things, but—"

"Small things? Edward, you own a house! That's not small."

"My Gram left me some money when she passed away. I was her only grandchild, so I got it all. I used it to pay off the small student loans I had, finish paying off my truck, and when I moved to Forks, I bought this house. I still have plenty, but I don't touch it. Some of it is invested because my dad told me that would be the smart thing to do with it."

"So you're rich?" I asked petulantly. He wasn't my little polyblend working man after all.

"No, I'm not…well, maybe a little. I don't know, Bella. I don't use it. I live within my paycheck. It's just there if something major happens. I'm not just going to blow it all. It's my security."

I nodded. "How much is there?" I felt a little rude to ask such a personal question. My dad always told me that you never ask anyone about their political views, religion, or money. They were touchy subjects, he said, and I lived by those rules.

"Right now? About three hundred thousand invested in long-term securities and one hundred thousand invested in more liquid securities."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

We ate quietly for a while. I didn't know why I was leaving him hanging; I was going to move with him. Knowing he was financially secure was great news, but I really didn't want him to think that was what I was after.

_Surely I can contribute some way. _

My job as a barista definitely did not pull in the big bucks, but I could afford my rent and all that came with living on my own. There wasn't really a decision to make. I was completely devoted and living here was just the next step.

"When can we get my stuff?" I asked quietly.

Edward stopped eating and looked up at me. "Whenever you want. Tomorrow? Can you break your lease?"

"It's up next month. Seeing how mine is the only really nice apartment complex here, I think the landlady has got a waiting list for potential tenants."

His smile was so adorable as he looked around his kitchen. "I'm glad you're going to live here."

"Me too. I'll pay for the groceries or something."

He shook his head. "That's not necessary. I have like five bills each month plus groceries. We can use my paycheck to pay for those, and yours can be like extra money for dates and fun stuff for us."

I laughed loudly. "So my check is for the sex swing that we're installing in your bedroom?"

If his first smile was adorable, this one was priceless. "Definitely."

* * *

Sooo...I really hope that you liked this. I know a lot of you mentioned reading about their date, so I hope you're not disappointed with how things went or how fast they seem to be moving. There will be no second guessing here.

Thank you again for reviewing, and for all of you for have mentioned this story on sites or your own fic or just to a friend. I can't tell you how much it's appreciated!

See you Wednesday for dinner with the Masens!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

Bella tugged on the collar of her shirt as we pulled into the restaurant parking lot, and I almost hit the curb when she flashed some cleavage.

"Eyes on the other cars, perv." She straightened her shirt back up.

"Couldn't help it."

To say that she was nervous about dinner would have been an understatement. I'd never seen her act like such a spaz before.

"Do you think your mom will like me?" She reapplied her chapstick for the twentieth time since we'd left the hotel.

"She'll love you."

"Uh huh."

While Bella had been quick to agree to have dinner with my parents, she had been less than calm since we'd left Forks. I had planned for us to stay in Seattle after dinner and spend the next day enjoying the big city before heading back to Forks, but Bella was only concerned about one part of our trip, and we were about to walk into it.

I held her hand as we entered the little bistro and quickly found my parents. They'd had me very young— like right-out-of-high school young, so they were both almost fifty. I hadn't exactly told Bella that, and I could see the wheels spinning in her mind as she stared at them. I don't know what she expected, but it was obvious it wasn't them.

"Edward, baby boy!" My mom hugged me tight. "It's been way too long!"

It had been awhile since I'd seen them, at least six months, but it was obvious my mom was laying it on thick in front of Bella.

Before I pulled back, I whispered, "Be nice, Mom. She's special."

She looked at me strangely for a split second before my dad's voice caused me to look away.

"Hey there!" My dad waved from his seat.

"Mom and Dad, this is Bella." I squeezed her hand to reassure her. "Bella, my mom and dad."

My mom smiled at Bella and held her hand out to shake. "It's great to meet you, Bella."

"You, too, Mrs. Masen." Bella smiled politely.

Though the look from earlier was gone, it didn't escape my notice that my mom was sizing Bella up. From what I could tell, she wasn't convinced she was worthy of her baby boy yet.

_Heaven help me._

Appetizers were ordered. Drinks were sipped. Small talk was made.

Bella told them about the online graduate program she was enrolled in. My mom immediately questioned the validity of a program that had no classroom interaction.

"Well, Mrs. Masen, it's really common in graduate programs now. More people want to further their education, but with jobs and family obligations, they can't do it traditionally. My dad is all I have, so I want to stay close to him. It's why I chose this specific program."

"It's nice to see someone with a plan," my dad said with an encouraging smile, trying to diffuse the weird tension between my mom and Bella.

"Bella works really hard on it. I think it might be harder than a traditional program actually since she has to motivate herself to do everything. You know, since there's no teacher around to answer to." I added, smiling at my frazzled girlfriend.

I wasn't encouraged by what I saw at all. Bella looked like she was about to throw up. I knew she didn't handle pressure well at all, and this was pushing her a bit far.

The silence last for a few minutes then our food arrived along with my hope that eating would keep everyone's mouths shut.

Unfortunately, just as I picked up my sandwich, my mom spoke.

"You're a bit young for him, don't you think?"

I froze and so did Bella.

That was it. The moment that would push her over the edge straight into spaz.

I was frozen and prayed for her continued silence as I tried to find the words to tell my mother to shut-up without actually saying the word. Instead, I was rewarded with another Bella Swan gem.

"I'm the exact age he requested when he submitted his application and details."

Bella slapped her hand over her mouth, my dad started laughing hysterically, I choked on air, and my mom looked completely shocked.

"Bathroom break." Bella stood and walked as fast as she could to the restroom.

After I got my coughing under control, I shot a glare across the table.

"She has been so nervous about tonight, Mom. You need to give her a break. I told you to be nice to her." My mom looked a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I'll apologize. It's just… you've never really brought anyone around us unless it was forced, and you gave in with Bella so quickly. I just want to make sure you're not going to get hurt."

I saw Bella making her way back to the table. "She's not going to hurt me, Mom."

With a deep breath, she sat back down, smoothing her napkin in her lap. "Mrs. Masen, I'm so sorry for what I said. When I'm nervous, things just sorta pop out."

She wasn't making eye contact with anyone at the table, so I reached and took her hand. With the contact, she smiled shyly up at me. I chanced a glance at my mom and saw her features soften as she saw the connection between me and Bella.

It might not have been a lightning strike moment of clarity, but I could tell that my mom had a special place in her heart for Bella. It might have only been a small corner, but in the future it would grow. I was sure of it.

"I'm sorry, Bella," she said softly, and Bella looked up slowly. "I'm being difficult. Let's just start over."

So we did. It was awkward at times, but for the most part, my parents got to see Bella at her best. She was quirky and charming and smart.

As we went back to the hotel after dinner, she took my hand and kissed my palm.

"The things I do for you, Edward." She shook her head, and staring out the passenger window, she said, "You're lucky I love you so much."

I smiled shyly, ignoring the fact that this was the first time she'd said those words to me, and that inside I was overflowing with happiness. Knowing Bella and how she was, I squeezed her hand and said, "I really am. I love you, too, you know?"

In the dim light of the car, I could see her big, happy smile even as she continued to stare off to the side. "I'm really glad you do. You're kind of amazing."

And just like that, we'd declared feelings in our own little way.

I'd never felt more complete in my life.

* * *

Thank you guys so much for all the love you have for this story! I hope you liked the dinner :)

I just found out last that this story is up for Fic of the Week at The Lemonade Stand! Please go vote, if you have a minute! I'd put the hyperlink, but FFn keeps stealing it, so here ya go: www. tehlemonadestand . net (remove the spaces and yes, 'the' is supposed to be spelled 'teh' lol)

See you Friday!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

My hands were shaking, and I felt like my heart was going to explode.

These were not everyday occurrences for me. In fact, this never really happened. However, as I sat at the kitchen island waiting for Edward to come home, I couldn't feel anything but abject terror.

It had been two months since I moved in and almost three months since our unconventional first time.

Everything was perfect. We got along well living together. There were no real fights. Most of our arguments were purely superficial, like replacing the toilet paper or putting dirty clothes in the hamper.

Still, I figured that today would be that turning point. I couldn't predict how he'd react to what I was going to tell him.

I heard the lock click and the front door open.

I snorted when I practically heard him sniff the air, trying to figure out what was for dinner.

_Tough luck, buddy. I was in no shape to cook today._

I heard his steps behind me, and as he got closer, I could hear his choppy breathing, as well.

"Bella, I have something for you." He sounded nervous and strained.

Immediately, I was concerned because we both couldn't have life-altering news on the same day. Wanting to beat him to the punch, I swung around on the stool and slapped the plastic stick on the counter.

I didn't have time to look at his face because my eyes were instantly drawn to the modest, princess-cut diamond ring that was nestled in black velvet.

And to prove just how perfect we were for each other, we both gasped at the same time.

"Holy shit…"

"Holy shit…"

I swallowed several times before I found my voice. "Is this for real?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Is this for real?" It was my turn to nod. "When did you find out?"

"I suspected, so I went to the doctor this morning. She said I was, but on the way home I was convinced she'd made a mistake, so I stopped and bought a test. Apparently, the doctor was right. I'm going to assume she's right about the time, too, so I'm about eleven weeks."

A silent laugh shook his shoulders. "So, pretty close to that first time, then?"

I felt my cheeks heat up in an uncharacteristic blush. "Yeah. I guess you're just that good."

"I thought you were on something."

I shook my head. "I never had a real reason to be. We just sorta got carried away and didn't think. I mean, besides those first two times, we've always used something."

Edward walked around the island and stood in front of me. "I'm excited." The smile on his face was wide and contagious.

"I'm going to get fat." I placed a hand on my stomach and he did the same.

He shrugged. "Probably."

I slapped his shoulder and looked at him with a pout.

"Bella, you're going to be beautiful. The only thing that worries me is how this is going to affect your normal state of spaz. Surely all these hormones are just going to make everything more…crazy."

I rolled my eyes and my glance landed back on the ring. Irrationally, I felt gypped.

"Was that how you planned on proposing to me? Slapping it on the counter like that?"

He looked at the ring, too, and then got tongued-tied. "Well, I was going…this just sorta…it felt right."

"It felt right to propose to me in the kitchen?"

He sighed in exasperation, grabbed the ring, and then pulled me out the back door onto the deck.

There was a light mist and the sun was setting behind the forest.

It was really pretty.

Edward dropped to his knee in front of me and pulled my thoughts from the sunset.

"Bella, to be honest, I've been attracted to you for a lot longer than the last three months. I've always been intrigued by you, captivated by you. I'm so thankful for how things have worked out, and I want nothing more than to be your husband. Will you marry me?"

For some reason, those words made everything real and overwhelming. Tears started to leak out of the corner of my eyes, and I imagined five years down the road, an older Edward, with a little grey at his temples like his dad, carrying around an overactive child, and smiling at me like he'd won the lottery.

If there was one thing I was sure of, it was that Edward would love us forever. He wasn't the kind of man who was fickle in his affection. I might act weird and say things that are really inappropriate, but that only seemed to make him smile bigger and hug tighter.

I realized he was waiting on an answer, watching me intently.

There was really only one answer.

"Absolutely."

* * *

So...yeah. I really hope you liked this :) I get worried because they move so fast, and I know a lot of people find that unrealistic. And for the most part, this doesn't happen in RL...but when you know, you know, right?

Again, I failed at replying to reviews. If you follow me on twitter, you know we had a gas leak at our new house so we've been working on fixing that and had to stay with the in-laws until last night.

CMB was #5 in the poll at The Lemonade Stand! Thank you all so much for voting :) I think that's freaking cool that it will get featured on their site.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I'll see you Sunday!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

In less than a year, my life had done a one-eighty.

I didn't live alone anymore.

I had a fiancée.

My spare room had become a nursery.

And I had one shelf in the pantry devoted to Nutella.

Those were all wonderful things.

Well, I wouldn't know about the Nutella–I had been told if I touched it, I would only be guaranteed one child.

It was hard to believe that this time last year, I'd been pining away for Bella in secret. I would see her come and go at the station and think, "That girl is amazing."

Now, I knew firsthand.

We'd had a rough start, but things smoothed out. We were both new to serious relationships, sharing a space with another person, and pregnancy.

Some mornings had been worse than others. Specifically those in the first trimester of her pregnancy.

I had never been cursed at so much in my life as I was each time Bella ran to the bathroom and threw up her breakfast. I could only imagine how she'd feel about me when she was in labor.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Cope." I lifted my eyes up to the front desk. Bella gave our secretary a shy smile before handing over a small basket full of cupcakes. "These are for you and Mr. Cope. I wasn't sure what kind you liked, but I figured, with cupcakes, I couldn't go wrong."

I smiled, too. Since Bella hit the halfway point in her pregnancy, she'd been baking. A lot. She had more than enough free time, and she always wanted to learn to bake, so when her classes ended for the summer, she decided she was going to spend her time baking.

Patting my stomach self-consciously, I stood up. I reaped the benefits of her cooking, and when it started to show, I had taken to running every morning before my shift. I was still carrying a bit of a pouch that hadn't been there eight months ago.

I watched eagerly as she made her way to my desk. "I made you something special!" She held out a Tupperware container. "Now, you have to promise not to say anything until you try them."

I pulled the lid off and saw the six little cupcakes, each with pink frosting. They looked normal.

"They're banana cupcakes with strawberry icing."

I took one out and started to peel the wrapper off.

"I figured you see that combination a lot, so why not make a cupcake, you know?"

I took a big bite, chewing thoughtfully and trying to figure out exactly what was off about the creation and what I could say.

"You hate it, right?" Her bottom lip popped out. "I suck."

After swallowing, I shook my head. "It was really interesting. I like the thought of it, but maybe you shouldn't bake pieces of banana into the cupcake mix next time?"

"I knew that was too much." Bella stared daggers at the cupcakes.

I wasn't really sure what to say or how to redirect her contempt from the baked goods; luckily Charlie walked out of his office and saved me.

"Hey there, Bell. You just keep getting bigger and bigger."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Why would you say that?" She placed a hand on her very round stomach. "I'm almost thirty-seven weeks. I'm emotionally unstable, and you call me fat?"

Charlie backed away. "You know I didn't mean it that way. It's a good sign that the baby is big and strong." His hands moved in front his body, surrendering.

"That's bullshit! I'm huge because I can't stop eating Cheetos." Bella picked up the remaining cupcakes turning and stomping out the door.

When she was gone, I glared at Charlie. "I'm going to have to deal with the fallout of this, you know that, right?"

He shrugged. "Take her some Cheetos. Apparently she loves them."

I could hear his laughter through his office door.

With a heavy sigh, I sat back at my desk.

_Three more weeks of intense crazy._

I arrived home a few hours later and found Bella sitting on the couch with her feet propped up, reading her baby name book.

"Any new ideas?" I asked as I sat beside her.

"I don't think so. I like our girl name and our boy name." She smiled at me.

"It's the same name." I grinned.

"It's perfect." She had a dreamy look in her eyes.

We were quiet for several minutes then Bella turned toward me. "Do you think I'll be a good mom?"

"I think you're going to be amazing, Bella. Our kid is going to be so creative and smart."

She smiled and closed her eyes. "You're going to be pretty amazing, too."

* * *

A week later, I sat typing up a report when my desk phone rang.

As I picked up the receiver I could hear Bella's panicked voice. "Edward? Oh my God!"

"What's wrong?" I jumped out of the chair, ready to bolt out the door.

"It's really freaking time, Edward. I've been hurting all day, but it's starting to get intense, and oh, sweet Jesus, my water just broke."

"I'll be there in five minutes. Have the keys ready and the bag by the door."

I didn't even bother to tell anyone. I ran out the door and assumed they knew what was going on.

The next few hours were a blur.

The house, the drive to the hospital, the maternity ward.

Bella wasn't cursing my name like I'd figured she would. Instead, she was smiling, and after the epidural, she was actually chatting and laughing with the nurses.

I, on the other hand, paced the floor, asking continuously if she needed anything and feeling like a complete waste of space because there was nothing I could do.

She couldn't eat anything, so even if she was hungry, I couldn't get her food.

She didn't want to watch T.V., so I didn't get to set up a DVD or anything.

She didn't want her iPod.

I felt useless, and she was having my child. I realized there must not be many other times in a man's life when he feels as utterly useless as when he's watching his wife—fiancée—give birth.

Suddenly, it was time. Really time.

It was such a weird concept and feeling.

This was the moment when another person would arrive in the world.

_Our person_.

My stomach was in knots, and I could only manage the standard, "You're doing great, Bella."

Even with the extreme pressure she kept talking about, she didn't really complain. It was more of a 'just letting you know' thing with the doctor.

"When I tell you to, I want you to push down. Edward, why don't you do the counting, okay? All you need to do is count to ten, so Bella will know when she can stop."

I nodded mutely.

"Okay, Bella, give us a good push now."

"Ugghh," I stuttered.

The nurse laughed and picked up counting.

After what seemed like hours of this, the doctor spoke again, "All right. One big push, the head will be out, and your baby will be here."

My throat went dry, and I stared at Bella.

"Okay," she whispered. "Okay."

I just watched her. I couldn't pull my gaze from her face as she brought our baby into the world.

_I was amazed._

Seconds passed, and then I heard a cry and everyone was rushing around.

"Congratulations, guys! You've got a beautiful little girl!"

The doctor placed her on Bella's chest, all wrapped up and red.

It was like the world closed in so that I only saw Bella and our baby girl.

"Welcome to the world, Scout," Bella spoke softly, gently touching her cheek.

My voice was lost and so was my heart.

* * *

Thank you for your support and the romantic, quick paced love stories that you shared in your reviews last chapter :)  
I hope that you liked this!

In case you forgot from Ch. 1, this was the last regular chapter! The epilogue will post on Wednesday!

Thank you again!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

* * *

**Five years later**

"Where are you?" My husband's very distressed voice filtered through the open back door. "Scout?" A second of silence then a more shrill call, "Scout?"

I walked out the door and looked to the edge of the porch behind the row of shrubs. There, crouched down, with dirt all over her face, was my little girl. She held a finger up to her lips, and I stifled a giggle before looking toward the corner of the house where Edward was raking a hand through his hair.

"Bella! I can't find her. I just turned around for a second."

We'd been a bit paranoid about Scout running into the woods lately. After Papa Charlie had said it was where bears lived, our baby girl was convinced she could find Little Bear and make him her friend.

I turned my back to Scout and then discreetly pointed behind me.

His shoulders visibly relaxed.

Edward crossed the deck, stopping right beside me. He kissed my temple and whispered, "She's going to give me a heart attack one day."

"At least the one napping is calmer."

"You _think_ she's calmer. I see what's going on behind those eyes. She's sneaky."

I shrugged. My girls were definitely their own people, but I assumed that most parents thought that of their children. You know, their kids were the smartest and most creative or most unique.

"Scout Elizabeth, there's lots of yummy cookies inside. If you don't come out, then I guess me and Momma are just going to eat them all."

There was a big commotion from behind the hedge as she barreled out, laughing. "Oh, Daddy, you can't eat all those cookies. Papa Charlie says that you aren't as young as you used to be, and you can't handle all the sugar."

She skipped inside, leaving a shocked Edward in her wake.

"I'm not that old," he grumbled as he walked through the door.

We'd been together for almost six years, and at times, it seemed like it had only been days. Then the kids would burst that bubble, and we'd realize not only were we not alone in the house but also in an awkward position locked inside the laundry room.

Time had been good to us, though.

I finished my degree, but decided to stay home with the girls until Ellie was in school. I had two more years of that then I'd find something to do. Either at the school or the county library.

Edward had told me—repeatedly—that I didn't even have to work. _We have more than enough_, he'd say. I'd just shrug. It was just something I knew I'd do once the kids weren't home all day.

He still worked as a deputy, but it seemed more and more likely that when my father retired, he'd take over as Chief of Police of Forks.

Never in all my life did I imagine I'd be married to a cop.

He might have gotten a bit older, and that little bit of grey that I always suspected would pop up around his temples had finally shown its face, but he still pulled off the polyblend.

Alice would laugh at me when I'd stare at him, joking before our wedding that if I could, I'd make him wear his uniform to the ceremony.

I smiled when she said that. "Alice, that uniform is the reason we have a flower girl."

Of course, when she announced she'd gotten married after a whirlwind romance with the town's newest deputy six months later, I couldn't make fun of her or tell her she had sucky taste in men. I hugged her and whispered, "The uniform is a definite plus, right?"

"Oh, yeah."

"My cookie!" A squeaky voice cried out.

"The cookies are for everyone, baby."

I walked through the door, glancing quickly at Edward before looking down at the mismatched fairy hanging off his leg.

"Ellie, what do you have on?" I scanned her outfit, stopping quickly at the rain boots.

"My clothes." She stated the obvious as she put both hands on her hips. "I'm stylin'."

Edward snorted and handed her cookie. "You sure are."

"You're dirty." Ellie pointed to her sister's face. "Daddy needs to wash it off."

I stood back, watching as he cleaned up daughter number one and plied daughter number two with another cookie.

He was perfect.

He was all mine.

* * *

EPOV

It was a long, long day.

Bella used to make fun of my penchant for arresting or ticketing high school kids, but today, I really succeeded.

Two drunk kids were walking down the highway, throwing rocks at the occasional car. Arrested.

A girl caught speeding through the school zone during dismissal. Ticketed.

Three angry parents arrived wanting to know just what their kids had done that was so wrong.

Headache for me.

I figured in a bigger city, I wouldn't have to put up with angry parents. However, I lived and worked in Forks. Everyone knew everyone, and everyone had their two cents to put in.

I groaned before opening the car door. Today might have sucked, but I didn't want my bad mood to come over into my home time.

I could hear the music before I even opened the door and cringed at the content.

Barbie movies.

When I opened the door, though, I couldn't help but smile.

My babies were dancing around the living room, singing along as best they could while Bella did something I'm sure she considered dancing. All had on tiaras and dresses.

"What's the special occasion?" I asked, causing Bella to freeze mid-sprinkler.

"It's the last day of school!" Scout jumped up and down. "Mom said we could have a dance party."

Ellie bowed dramatically. "We're princesses. You can be Momma's prince, but you can't wear that." She waved her hand around at my uniform.

"Why don't you two go pick me out a different shirt?"

They raced up the stairs without looking back. I crossed the room to Bella and gathered her up in my arms.

"So, you're my princess?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Is this some role-playing fantasy you have?"

"Can I steal your virtue?" I smirked as she slapped my arm. "What? You can't run out on me now, sweetheart. Alice lives too far away to claim sleepwalking."

Her face turned a bright shade of red as she looked away. "I don't really sleepwalk."

"Ummm, I know that. You talk in your sleep, though."

"Do not."

"Do, too. Downright naughty things." She laughed. I bent to whisper in her ear. "Edward, your cock is so big. Do me now!"

This time she pushed me away. "I did not say that. Compose yourself; I hear little feet running this way." She pointed to the ceiling as I heard them take off upstairs.

"It's incredible that you could hear them."

"I know all and see all."

I turned down the volume on the T.V. "That's creepy."

"Daddy, go change!" Scout pointed to the stairs, and I started up.

"Oops! I gotta put on something else, too!" Bella's voice carried up the stairs.

"Hurry up, Momma!" Ellie yelled.

The door behind me shut softly. The lock clicked into place.

"We have five minutes. Maybe seven. It's on their favorite part." She pulled the dress over her head as I stared blankly. "What are you waiting for? Time's a wasting."

I shed my clothes as fast as I could, almost tripping on my pants as I pushed her to the bed.

"Door locked?" I asked before kissing her neck.

"Yup."

"I really hope this isn't another laundry room incident in the making," I whispered as I slid my hand up her thigh.

"Oh, ye of little faith," she muttered against my lips.

Six and a half minutes later, we emerged from the bedroom, dressed in different clothes and much happier and lighter as the girls ran up the stairs.

"You take too long! Now we gotta go back to the song." Ellie was pouting dramatically. She looked eerily similar to Bella when she did it.

"C'mon, girls. Let's dance!" I shook my hips, earning a giggle from my little girls.

Later that night, after everyone was asleep, I quietly walked downstairs and stood in a very cluttered living room.

Toys littered the ground. It seemed no matter how often Bella picked them up or made the girls put them away, there were always some around. On the coffee table were little cups, half-full of water or juice.

What caught my eye more than anything, though, were the pictures lining the mantle.

I hadn't necessarily written off finding someone before I met Bella, but I had resigned myself to probably not having a family. Then she stumbled into my table at the coffee shop. We talked. We moved way too fast. We weren't perfect by any means, but we were exactly what the other needed.

My spastic wife had given me everything. She would argue that, of course—give me a smirk before saying something smart or perverted.

"Sleepwalking?" Her voice startled me, and I sucked in a sharp breath right before her arms slid around my waist.

"No. Are you?"

She laughed softly then pinched my nipple. "Don't make fun."

We grew quiet, and I held her hand over my heart. "I love you so much," I whispered; the emotion behind those words was thick.

Bella kissed between my shoulder blades then rested her forehead there. "I love you, too."

"We're going to be together forever, you know that, right?" I tried to keep my voice light.

"We are. From every Disney Princess movie we've been forced to watch recently, '…and they lived happily ever after.' "

I turned to face her and leaned down, my lips brushing hers. "They always kiss at the end, too."

"Kiss me," she murmured.

And I did.

* * *

That's it! I hope you loved the ending :) Thank you all so much for your support! I can't tell you how much the response to this little story has meant to me.

I'm not opposed to outtakes, but it will probably be in August before I can write again since I'm about to leave for my last week of class then I graduate August 3rd.

Also, eddiebell69 made three very cute banners for the story! There on my profile if you want to look.

I'll see y'all around ;) I'm hoping to finish another story in the next couple of months, so maybe I'll see some of you there!


	12. Chapter 12

**The Consequences of Spilling Coffee**

Disclaimer: I still don't own it.

There are several POV shifts between Edward and Bella in this outtake, and I have separated them by a line break.

They both wouldn't shut up, so I couldn't just choose one POV to write in. Sorry.

* * *

**EPOV**

The coffee was perfect.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth and sweetness for moment, trying to forget the stress of work and the emptiness at home. When I opened my eyes, I spotted her stumbling into the café. Her hair was down and a mess of waves, just like always, and her cheeks were pink from the wind outside.

With a sigh, I turned back to my book.

I had been working in Forks at the police department for a little over a year, and I could safely say I'd been drawn to Bella Swan since the first time I met her.

We'd spoken on occasion, of course. Though always polite, as she was at the station to visit Charlie, our conversations were never very long. From what I'd learned about her, though, she was smart and funny, and quite obviously, beautiful.

I'd often wondered what it would take to get her to say more than, 'Hi, Edward."

I pushed that thought away and focused on the book in my hands. After reading the same sentence about ten times, something hit the edge of table, causing my coffee to slosh out of the cup and onto my lap.

I jumped up, knocking over my chair in the process.

a"I am so sorry! My shoelaces were untied. I knew I should have tied them earlier, but I was too lazy to bend down and do it . . . "

I met Bella's eyes as she continued to ramble.

"Your jeans," she groaned. "Did I burn your peen?" Her face turned a bright shade of red, and I choked out a laugh. "I didn't mean that. You don't have to tell me about that. Oh my God, Edward. I am so sorry."

I shook my head. "It's fine. I'm fine." I actually nodded down at my crotch as I said it.

She handed me some napkins to clean up my pants, and for a moment, I was surprised she didn't try and reach over to do it herself.

Bella just continued to stand there with glazed-over eyes and her head tipped slightly to the side. After several seconds, she blinked out of her daze and asked, "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

I looked around the café. It was nearly empty, so she could have chosen another seat. I smiled to myself as I thought she might just want to talk to me. That thought was kicked to the curb as I moved to sit down and felt the dampness of my jeans.

_She feels guilty._

Oh well. I'd take what I could get, and if this was my opportunity to show her what I had to offer, then I'd take it.

"Sure. That would be great."

There was an awkward pause before Bella said, "So this is what a crime fighter does in his down time?" I caught her smirk as I took a sip of my drink. "I mean, does my dad hang out here, too?"

I wasn't sure how to take that. Her tone was playful, but her words bordered on rude, so I fidgeted and fumbled through a response.

"Well, I'm not too sure what Charlie is doing right now, or really ever when he gets off work. This is a nice place. He could come here." I shrugged and looked away.

When I looked back, Bella was biting her bottom lip and forehead wrinkled. Before I could ask her what was wrong, she spoke again, "I'm sorry, Edward. I know that didn't come across really well. I can't make conversation like a normal person and just ask what you're doing hanging out in Port Angeles. I didn't mean to sound so snotty. I'm not like that. I just don't know how to be normal."

I gave her a small smile. "Being normal is overrated."

She snorted. "I wish. I think my dad would love for me to be normal."

"I'm pretty sure your dad thinks you're the best thing in the world."

"I'm too much like my mom."

I let that lay there, not sure how to approach it. I wasn't even sure what happened to Bella's mom. No one had mentioned her, so I wasn't sure if they had divorced or if she had passed away.

"That's definitely not a topic we need to discuss." Bella laughed. "My mom was crazy. Beautiful, sweet, funny, but most definitely crazy."

"Ummm . . . " I picked at my coffee cup.

"She made my dad so happy. It completely devastated him when she left. I mean, it was so random—she just left one day, and then she'd call once a week to let us know where she was and what she was doing. There wasn't anyone else, though. She was head over heels for my dad. She just went on her own, she needed time, she said. Then she showed up on our doorstep with her suitcase and said, 'Can I come home?'

"You would have thought that would have been it, you know? That everything would have gone back to normal, but it never did."

I just stared. I didn't want to speak because I was afraid if I did, she'd clam up. This bit of insight into her mind was amazing. I had a feeling that this was something Bella didn't share with anyone. Especially since she was looking out the window, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.

"It wasn't five months later that we found out she was dying." Her voice was barely a whisper, and I had to lean closer to hear her. "She was so at peace with it all. My dad spent hours crying in their room when he thought no one could hear."

Bella wiped her tears and shimmied her shoulders, blowing out a heavy breath. "I'm so sorry, Edward. I'm not always like this."

"What made you think of it?" I asked softly.

She looked back out the window. "Nothing in particular. I ramble sometimes. You said 'normal,' and my mind went to the complete opposite of that."

"Well, she sounds like a very special woman." I cleared my throat and tried to keep my emotions in check.

Bella's answering smile was blinding. "She really was. I'm very lucky to have her as my mom."

After taking another sip of her coffee, she closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, the creases around her eyes were gone along with the sad glow they had held moments before.

"What's your mom like?"

I chuckled. "She's the stereotypical helicopter mom."

Bella wrinkled her nose.

"I didn't do anything in high school without her right there peeking over my shoulder. She meant well, but she was just too attached. I am, and always will be, her little baby."

"That's not so terrible," Bella hedged, giving a reassuring smile.

"When she had me, she almost died. From what they told me, she bled out, and in order to stop it, they had to remove everything."

"Oh, wow." Her eyes were wide as understanding set in.

"Yeah, so I think it was pretty traumatizing for her; to have that ability, then unexpectedly have it taken away. I think my dad tries to balance her out, so he's a lot more mellow."

"What's he like?" Bella leaned forward, her chin on her hand.

"He's funny. My mom's a little neurotic, and he's this calming force."

"My dad thinks that you're a super cop." She blurted out of nowhere. "I just couldn't help but think of that when you said your dad is calm. Charlie thinks that you've got this really rare quality of being heard, but not being loud, you know?"

I shook my head, confused.

"Like, when there's something happening, you wait until you know all the facts before you offer anything. You don't just like to hear yourself talk. Does that make any sense?"

I took a second, thinking over what she was saying. I did tend to wait to offer my opinion. I didn't just talk to talk. "I think I understand what you're saying. And you're right. My dad is like that, too. I guess I take after him more than I do my mom."

She laughed. "I think Dad would have a fit if you were constantly trying to look over his shoulder!" She snorted. "Poor teenage, Edward. I bet you never got any boob action."

I choked on the coffee I'd been drinking, and she just laughed harder.

"I'm right! Oh, that's terrible! Did she peek around corners?"

It was my turn to laugh loudly. "She did actually. It was embarrassing and so scarring to a sixteen-year-old boy. She would always tell me that she knew what teenagers acted like and that wasn't going to happen with me."

"All those teenage experiences you missed! Want to make out?" She leaned across the table.

I sobered immediately. With a doubt, I wanted to make out. I wanted boob action, too.

Bella fell back into her chair, giggling. "Your face! I can see the wheels turning in your brain. You want this!" She stood and twirled around.

"I do," I said before I could stop myself.

Bella stood still, her cheeks flushed. "You're pretty smooth, Deputy Masen."

"I don't know about that." I shook my head.

"We're closing up in five minutes." The barista's voice was an unwelcome interruption that caused up both to look away.

I stood up, unsure how to proceed with Bella. I didn't want our night to end yet.

Bella walked to my side of the table and took my hand. "Want to get a drink?"

"Yeah." My gaze flicked down to her lips and then back up to her eyes. "I think that would be great."

"C'mon. I know a place. You can follow me."

Once in the parking lot, I got into my truck and tried to calm my nerves. I was going to have a drink with Bella. It seemed like maybe there could be more, too. My heart started racing.

This was everything I'd ever wanted come to life.

* * *

**BPOV**

After a bit of a breakdown, I'd managed to pull it all back together.

Quite a feat for me.

I'd never really paid much attention to Edward. He was always polite. Very cute, but I'd just never thought of him in a 'want to jump him' way. At least not until I bumped into his table and he jumped up. He was tall and lean, with a scandalous little happy trail peeking out from under his shirt when his arms went in the air.

I sighed audibly.

Luckily, he'd been too busy worrying about his jeans.

I was very worried about what was in them.

As I hopped into my truck, I couldn't help but wish that I would see what was in them one day.

I turned the keys in the ignition, and the engine clicked. I tried again and was met with the same result.

"Piece-of-shit truck. Just freaking turn over!" I slammed my palm against the steering wheel twice before reaching down and trying to start it again. The familiar clicking sound made me close my eyes in frustration.

The tapping on the window startled me, and I looked over to meet Edward's eyes.

"Wanna ride with me?" He smirked and pointed to his truck.

I nodded my head because that smirk had caused my brain to drop the 'with' in his sentence altogether.

Once in his truck, I scooted all the way over, nestled into his side, and wondered, _How have I not noticed this man before?_

* * *

**EPOV**

She had two margaritas. I had one beer.

As the night progressed, she scooted closer to me in the booth. Our heads inclined towards each other, and I could feel her breath tickling my jaw.

It was hard to concentrate.

"Are you working tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I go in at nine."

"I have tomorrow off." She sighed, leaning her body against my arm. Her breasts pressed tight against me.

I shivered.

"You work at the coffee shop, right?" I cleared my throat as she turned slightly, rubbing against me with her chest. I sucked in a quick breath as her hand moved to my thigh.

"Yeah," she said softly. "I've got a project due next week I need to work on, too."

"You're a busy woman." My voice turned rough as she drew circles on my inner thigh.

I looked down just as she raised her eyes to meet mine. They were dark and hooded, and my throat closed up at the sight.

She wanted me.

"Come home with me?"

"Absolutely." My answer was immediate.

* * *

**BPOV**

What had I just done?

As I took his hand and led him out of the bar, I was flipping out in my mind. I had just asked him to go to my place for sex.

Not in those exact terms, but it was implied. My God. What was happening to me?

Edward seemed nervous as he slid into the driver's seat and cranked the truck up. I stayed as close to him as possible, thinking that if I stopped touching him, I'd lose my nerve.

I felt the overwhelming urge to preface entering my apartment with, 'I don't ever do this,' but figured it would just come off as fake. The absolute truth was I didn't do things like this. I wasn't skanky.

Of course, telling myself I wasn't skanky made me think of the girl I was in college with who would constantly preach how woman shouldn't degrade each other with terms like skank and slut because men could act just as slutty and never had that stigma attached to them.

Bullshit. I was an equal opportunity name-caller.

And right then, I was calling myself skanky.

_What if Edward is a man-skank?_

His hand drifted over my shoulder lightly, causing me to press even closer. Regardless of what he was or what I was, tonight was going to happen.

It was inevitable, and I wasn't going to feel bad about it.

* * *

**EPOV**

I was nervous.

We made it up to her door, and I dropped her hand that I'd been holding, placing it on her hip as I moved up close behind her. She fumbled with her key a little and snorted.

I swept the hair off her shoulder and leaned down, leaving a light kiss below her ear. Bella gasped against me as I drew my cold nose along her warm neck, lifting her hand to my hair, holding me in place. The keys she had finally managed to get in the lock were forgotten.

Bella turned her head to the side, opening herself up a little more. I started to pull away so she could open the door, but she yanked me back, causing us both to stumble into the door. My hardened cock pressed right against her ass. I groaned and pressed a little harder before biting down softly on her neck.

"Oh dear Jesus." Her voice was rough and her fingers dug into the skin of my neck.

Reluctantly, I pulled away, but only enough to speak. "Open the door."

Her hand left my its place near my hair, and in seconds the door swung open and we tumbled through the empty the space, stopping abruptly when Bella spun on her heel and slammed the door shut.

Bella's arms went back around my neck, and she brought her lips to mine in a fierce kiss, walking me back into the door.

My mind wasn't even processing how quickly everything was moving or what all this might mean in a few hours. I just let myself _feel_.

"You taste so good," Bella whispered. "How is that possible? You drank that shitty beer earlier."

Her lips moved to my neck and her hands skimmed my chest and stomach, stopping at my belt. As she started to tug it open, I gasped, "Gum."

She stopped moving. "What?"

"I've been chewing gum."

I saw it finally click that I was answering her question. She smirked.

"You're so thoughtful. You should get a reward."

Then she dropped down to her knees, and I almost choked on my gum.

* * *

**BPOV**

He trembled as I pulled his jeans and boxers down his thighs, and I couldn't help but smirk.

_I'm better at this than I thought._

I took him in my hand and stroked him once before sucking him into my mouth. Edward's hands were in my hair immediately, and I could tell he was trying not to pull or push; in fact, he was mumbling something along those lines as I swirled my tongue around the head of his cock.

After a several seconds, I peeked up at him and ours eyes locked.

His mouth was parted, and I could hear his short, choppy breaths as he watched me. The eye contact was pretty brief, though, because it hurt my eyes to look up like that while giving head.

_I know in books women make all this eye contact while sucking dick, but I just can't. _

Soon, he _did_ start to tug my hair, and I moaned around him, letting him know it was okay. If there was one thing I wanted, it was that Edward enjoyed this. He was sweet and funny. His cock was very pretty, as far as cocks go, and I wanted him to know that I liked doing this for him, even if I didn't consider myself talented at it.

"I'm gonna come," he murmured. "You can move. You don't have to…"

I looked up again, surprised at how quiet he'd become. _Shouldn't he be shouting? Screaming my name or something?_

I didn't move away, though.

I hollowed my cheeks and moved faster. His hands didn't move, but his fingers twined into my hair.

The whole scene started to feel much more intimate than it had minutes early.

Edward gasped and bucked his hips up to meet my mouth, groaning loudly as he came.

"Oh my God. I never…" His eyes were clenched shut, and I could see his jaw ticking.

I brushed off my bottom lip with my forefinger just as he looked down at me.

His hands were under my arms, lifting me up before I realized what he was doing, and then his mouth slanted over mine.

Edward laid me on the couch before sitting up and tugging his shirt over his head. Feeling a little overdressed, I did the same as he worked on getting my jeans off my legs. I watched, entranced, as his fingers skimmed the edge of my panties. Slowly, he hooked his fingers on the edges, slid them down, and then tossed them to the side.

For a brief moment, I wondered where they landed, then Edward's voice cut through all the nonsense that floated through my head.

"I think you deserve a reward now."

* * *

**EPOV**

Bella.

Laid out across her couch, bare and wet as my hands traced up her thighs.

I leaned down, kissing up the same path my hands had just taken, all the while thinking how ridiculous this all was, how unreal that she was right under me.

Her groans were almost whispers, high pitched and breathy.

For some reason, this felt like so much more than a typical one-night stand. Not in the 'I'll never see her again' way because, obviously, I knew I would, but it felt like there was something deeper, a connection that went beyond meaningless sex.

As her hands tangled in my hair and my tongue circled her clit, I let that feeling take over completely.

I wanted her at that moment and for all the other moments after.

* * *

**BPOV**

Everything was just too intense.

It started off so easy by the door, but as our voices got lower instead of louder and movements became more purposeful, my mind started to panic.

He kissed my stomach up to my breasts, licking along the edge of my bra before sitting up and dragging me with him. In an easy movement, he stood and because I couldn't stop myself, I wrapped my legs around his waist.

"Bedroom?" Edward asked, lips brushing my jaw.

"Down the hall on the right."

He continued to kiss me, and I let myself fall a little deeper.

* * *

**EPOV**

The nervousness was gone.

I dropped her to the edge of the bed, and she bounced a little.

Laughing, she reached behind her and unclasped her bra, tossing it behind me when it was off her arms.

"You're so beautiful."

She was blushing.

I couldn't tell if some of it had been leftover from the orgasm I gave her or if it was all from my comment, but the soft pink that colored her cheeks made me grin.

"I've wanted you for so long. You need to know that this means something to me, Bella." I could hear the tension in my voice as I met her eyes.

She traced my hand with her fingers then pulled me toward her, lying back against the pillows. She didn't acknowledge what I'd said at all.

Soon, I didn't care because she wrapped her legs around my waist. The slight change in position had lined me right up with where I wanted to be.

Then in the next moment, I was sliding into her.

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me as I started to draw back. I sucked in a short breath, but as I pushed back against her, her answering moan took what little breath I had managed to catch.

Soon, I found myself leaning down, resting my forehead against hers. Her lovely brown eyes that had been so many things tonight—shocked, sad, playful, lustful—were now half closed in pleasure.

I would do anything to keep her. Just like this. Forever.

* * *

**BPOV**

He fell asleep with his arm draped over my stomach. I really hadn't given much thought to whether I was a cuddler or not, but I found myself enjoying the feeling of him beside me.

That thought freaked me out a little.

I turned my head and stared for a minute, letting the panic slip in, and listened as my mind screamed, _I just had sex with Edward Masen._

* * *

**Author Note:**

Thank you to the lovely Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading.

I love them so very much, and as the Twilight Saga is coming to an end on the big screen, I feel the need to tell them and all you who have read any of my fics, thank you. I will never regret clicking on that link to Wide Awake and getting drawn into the fandom. I've made friends that will last long after the Saga comes to a close.

_Thank you.  
_


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